Posted on 05/02/2024 7:27:08 PM PDT by RandFan
Home owners have told the BBC they are living in fear of crippling bills after finding out a cheap version of concrete that could be at risk of collapse was used in their houses.
Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was used mostly in flat roofing, but also in floors and walls, between the 1950s and 1990s.
It has been found in public buildings across the UK sparking fears about the potential collapse of ceilings and walls - and many local authorities are now moving to inspect council houses.
But whereas current tenants are having their repair costs covered, many people who bought their council houses say they have no-one to turn to. “The house is worthless," says Jim Allan of the Bathgate home he has lived in since 1968.
His father bought the family's council home in 2003 and Jim took it on 12 years ago when his dad died.
But he says his happy memories of living in the house are being overshadowed after West Lothian Council informed him that the neighbouring council houses had traces of RAAC.
Council tenants are to be moved out of their homes while remedial work is completed but Jim says he got a letter saying "you’re on your own".
He has been given estimates putting the work required in the region of £50,000 ($62,000).
However, he was also advised he would be better “putting a match” to the property given the scale and cost of the issue.
“I can’t sleep at night because it’s so stressful," Jim says.
"I don’t have that kind of money. I don’t know what to do.”
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
This is crazy and big. I wonder how many are in this position with the cheap concrete and no recourse.
I’m not really sure it was “cheap” concrete. It is aerated and baked to make it lighter with even some insulating qualities.
IMO, it’s one of those things that sounds like a good idea, but turns out not to be.
Like windmills and solar panels.
TRACES of RAAC mean the property is worthless? How can traces do that? Sounds like climate hysteria to me.
It’s nothing like the cheap Chinese drywall used in Florida a couple decades ago.
From the 50’s to the 90’s yet these houses are still standing 30 to 70 years later?
This sort of sounds like the asbestos mitigation scam to force the replacement of public schools and other public buildings.
Good point there. If that concrete is so fragile, they should have collapsed already.
“Its structural behaviour differs significantly from traditional reinforced concrete.
Moreover, it is susceptible to structural failure when exposed to moisture. The bubbles can allow water to enter the material.
If that happens, any rebar reinforcing RAAC can also decay, rust and weaken.”
Ok. Vulnerable to moisture, and used in building construction in the UK. Not the ideal choice in structural materials.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-66669239
Their descendants create concrete which lasts thousands of minutes.
The problem is the appraisers (professionals) are saying this I think and everyone listens to them
What can you do if you’re a homeowner in this situation?
They’re saying it’ll cost you X to get right which puts you under water...
“It’s nothing like the cheap Chinese drywall used in Florida a couple decades ago.”
It’s worse than that because it’s structural.
Not sure what they mean by “traces”. It’s the while roof or ceiling or wall.
I am assuming he (or his Dad) bought the public housing project house (”Council House”) from the government at some point? Sounds like “The Council” is fixing some of his neighbors’ houses for “free” (taxpayer $$). He probably should have had an pro inspection done before buying an old “govt. built/low bid contractor” house.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_house
A building inspector wouldn’t be willing to “condemn” a whole class of British public housing (until now). He would have lost his license.
Right to Buy was Thatcher’s great idea. Imagine Section 8 housing where some are public and some privately owned.
*This sort of sounds like the asbestos mitigation scam to force the replacement of public schools and other public buildings.*
SF. Macateer HS. I remember it well. Millions spent to clear asbestos. A lot of ‘jobs’ created with that one. A lotta money spent to ‘protect’ the children. None of them died as I know of.
Its because of where the Romams got their ingredients from.
They had a mix where there were still very small pockets of lime in the mix. If cracks formed, the lime in the pockets activated with the water, and the concrete self-healed itself. Thats why its lasted so long.
i.e. slow news day.
Excellent :)
FTTW
Any construction guy knows you need to vibrate concrete to get the air bubbles out of it. Here the damn fools introduced air bubbles into the concrete. This is a case where they knew better but tried to dilute the concrete with air to cheapen the product.
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